Scuba equipment is available in a myriad of styles, colours purposes and the type that works best for you will depend on your preferences, the type of diving that interests you and where you'll be diving. Although recreational scuba diving has been around for more than fifty years, most recently has dive gear become reliable, effective and affordable. Most active divers prefer to have their own basic scuba equipment for personal comfort, reliability and choice.

Masks
Divers need a mask to see underwater because light reacts differently in water than in air and the mask creates an air space which helps our eyes to focus. This air space is the reason that the mask must enclose your nose for equalization and that's why divers can't dive with swimming goggles. Scuba Diving masks should be made with tempered glass for safety, a comfortable close-fitting skirt, a nose pocket, an adjustable strap and a wide field of vision.

Snorkels
Snorkels allow divers to rest or swim at the surface with their face in the water. This is useful for saving cylinder air during surface swims and also for protection from choppy conditions. Snorkeling is also a popular water-based activity for non-divers and in areas where shallow reefs don't require scuba to appreciate the aquatic life. A snorkel made from silicon and plastic with a large bore and smooth rounded bends will make it easier to breathe from and it shouldn't be excessively long which will increase the dead air space and make it difficult to clear.

Fins
Divers wear dive fins to propel themselves through the water using the powerful leg and thigh muscles. Scuba Fins are usually made from a neoprene rubber and plastic composite with differing styles and designs that perform differing functions. Vents, channels and ribs are features that add enhanced performance to a fin's classic blade design and your size and strength are considerations that should influence your choice of fin that you use. Modern fins are available in two basic styles. Open heel adjustable strap fins that require booties to be worn with them and full foot fins which are generally worn by snorkelers and divers in warm water.

Buoyancy Control Device
The most popular Buoyancy Control Devices are jacket style vests that can be inflated and deflated via the low pressure inflator to regulate your buoyancy. The most important role of the BCD is to provide positive buoyancy for the diver when he is resting at the surface. Other important features would include a harness backpack to attach the scuba cylinder and an pressure relief valve that avoids over inflation of the buoyancy controller.

Scuba Cylinders and Valves
A diver needs a safe supply of compressed air to breathe from underwater and the metal scuba cylinder fits this purpose. The two most common materials that Scuba Cylinders are made from are steel and aluminium with different advantages for each and popular sizes are 12 and 15 litres. The scuba tank also needs a valve to control the flow of air from inside the cylinder to the divers' regulator. Most divers use yoke valve assemblies for ease of fitting and although less common, the main advantage of the DIN valve is being rated to higher working pressures.

Scuba Regulators
A scuba regulator - also known as a demand valve - reduces the cylinder's high pressure air to an ambient pressure that allows the diver to breathe the flow upon demand (inhalation). Scuba Regulators have few moving parts which makes them simple and reliable. The two stages of air pressure reduction take place primarily in the first stage and then further in the second stage at the mouthpiece. Exhaled air is directed through small vents on each side of the mouthpiece through a one-way exhaust valve. Scuba regulators should be properly maintained and serviced regularly by a trained scuba technician.

Submersible Pressure Gauges
A divers' submersible pressure gauge or 'contents gauge' is a precision instrument that tracks how much air is remaining in the scuba tank during the dive. Most divers will also have a depth gauge as part of the console so that he can monitor his depth and direction. Gauge consoles tend to require delicate handling due to their analogue and digital design and should not be dropped or banged or allowed to dangle while diving to avoid damaging your gauges and the fragile Aquatic Life.

Scuba Equipment: More common questions
What are the best scuba accessories to have and why ?
How should I take care of my scuba equipment after diving ?
How does a scuba regulator work ?
How does a scuba wet suit keep me warm underwater and when should I use a dry suit ?
What are the main advantages of integrated weight systems against weight belts ?

Please Note: This information is meant as a guide for scuba divers and does not replace dive training and Diver Certifications